Big Surprise
by PrP1989Md
Summary: When faced with someone to take care of, what will he do?
1. Chapter 1

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. _All he can do is laugh in my face,_ she thought bitterly, _after abandoning me for 18 years._

"It's open!" responded the voice from the other side. He was lacing his right boot onto his leg and dropping his pants leg over it. She opened the door tentatively not sure if she was interrupting something important.

"Sorry to bother you Mr. Hardy, but do you remember Annalyse Bromin?" she asked quietly. His eyes widened at the mention of the woman he'd loved years ago who had walked away from him. _I haven't heard that name in seventeen years._ he thought. Looking up from his left boot, he stared, speechless at the young girl in front of him. She was medium height, with long black hair and green blue eyes that shone like the Caribbean. The hair made her skin look translucent but it had the blue highlights in it that only natural black hair held. He knew then that she was related to Annalyse, but didn't know how.

"Yeah, I remember Anna. Why do you wanna know?" he asked, suspicious. _She told me that she'd take care of everything. That I could "Do whatever the fuck I wanted. Go to hell." Did she change her mind?_

"Because I thought you would like to know that she died. And that I have no one left. But you that is. She told me before she died that you're my father. I looked at the birth certificate and you were on there. You are Jeffery Nero Hardy correct?" she answered him, suddenly more pissed at his lack of reaction.

"You're what? Wait- how old are you? I know it doesn't seem important but it is. I remember her. God I remember her. How'd she die?" he asked, suddenly concerned not only for himself but for the girl whose life seemed to have fallen apart.

"Eighteen. I'm eighteen. She died of pneumonia. Her immune system wasn't for shit and it killed her." the girl replied, knowing that if he was asking about that, he'd believe her. Jeff sat there speechless, mind racing. _Oh my God. She kept it. Her. She kept her. Never told me about her. Never told her about me. All this time I've been a father and I haven't known. God she has to hate me._ he thought.

"You have her hair. And skin tone. But they eyes is like looking in a mirror. What's your name?" he asked as her eyes lit up. It made him smile involuntarily, seeing her suddenly relax some.

"I'm Ilyriana. Ilyriana-"she began, enthusiastic, before Jeff cut her off.

"Ilyriana Mari-Rose." he finished, surprised that Annalyse had used the name they had picked together all those years before. Ilyriana just nodded, not sure how to react. _This is all so unexpected. He totally accepted me as his. I have a father. I have family._


	2. Chapter 2

_Eighteen years earlier…_

"Anna! What time am I picking you up?" a much younger Jeff asked, wrapping an arm around Annalyse's slender waist, her hair covering his arm in a blanket of almost living warmth. She fit perfectly under his 6'1'' frame. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. She turned in his arms to look at him and stare at how lean and finely muscled he was. Where she was pale and looked fragile, he was dark and carried himself in such a way that no one would dare mess with him or her. They were the original odd couple at their school and everyone was waiting for the honeymoon to end, but for the past three years, all the naysayers had been wrong.

"Around seven. What have you planned for tonight moj zakochany?" Anna asked, using her pet name for him. Being from a proud Polish family, she would tease him and call him different things in Polish, knowing he looked them up.

"It's a surprise. But I'm off to practice. Kocham ci´e." he answered, kissing her cheek again before leaving her to go to football practice.

* * *

Later that night, Jeff pulled into Annalyse's driveway and made his way to the door of the house when suddenly she burst through it, looking quite upset. Even though it was March and unseasonably warm in Cameron, Annalyse still shivered. She ran to him and held him to her as though he was the last solid thing in her world.

"Anna? What's wrong? Moje aniolku?" Jeff asked, worried that she was fighting with her parents over him and his supposed lack of direction again. She leaned back from him enough to kiss him, which further worried him. She never kissed him first nor while on her family's property. _What's going on here?_ he thought. He'd been excited to get her to tell her his news. The WWF had decided to take him and his older brother Matt into one of their grooming programs. They were gonna be living their dreams.

"My angel. I'm no angel, Far from it actually. Can we go now?" she asked, shaking her head as though to clear whatever spooked her from it. Jeff simply nodded and escorted her to the car, the whole time wondering what had her so shook.

* * *

Jeff had gone to their usual spot earlier that night to set everything up for them. He'd planned the whole evening. They'd go to their spot, look at the stars and he'd tell her his news. It was perfect. As soon as the car was in park, he got out to get Annalyse from the car. She got out and instantly grabbed a hold of Jeff, suddenly dizzy.

"Anna! God, are you okay?" Jeff panicked, holding her up, scared. She shook her head not trusting her voice. She steadied herself and let go of him.

"I'm fine. Can we just go please?" she asked, leading him down to the beach by the hand. He shook his head, watching the way her hips swung as she walked. He wanted nothing more than to make love to her when they got to the beach and their stuff but knew it would have to wait and that she didn't like to on the beach. The sand irritated her. They reached the blanket and Jeff moved around her to go light the candles he left there. She waited paitently for him to finish, then walked to him and cuddled against the warm curve of his body, feeling instantly comforted. He held her, sensing something was seriously off with her and worrying that he couldn't fix it. After playing with her hair for a few minutes, he shifted so he could see her face.

"So I have some good news. Matt and I were picked up by the WWF and placed in one of their training programs. We get to travel with the company." he whispered, watching her face carefully. Her eyes lit up and just as suddenly lost the light.

"I want you to come with me." Jeff told her, holding her against his chest. She turned herself in his lap so that she could look him in the eye. She looked so frightened and unsure of everything that it broke his heart.

"Oh my God, Jeff, this is amazing! I'm so excited for you and Matt! But I can't go with you. I want to but I can't." she answered him, enthusiasm dying unexpectedly. She stared down at the blanket they were sitting on and began playing with the end of her skirt. It was everything he'd ever dreamed of: signing with the WWF and taking her with him. They'd talked about it a million times, and now he'd asked her and she turned him down.

"What's going on Anna? You're so off tonight. Please talk to me. Mój kwiatuszku. What is it?" he pleaded, tears starting to form in his eyes. His heart felt like it was breaking in his chest. _What did I do wrong? I was offered my dream and I asked to take her with me. And she didn't want it. She didn't want me._ She sat there while he pleaded and held her hands in his, tears streaming down her face. She wanted nothing more than to go with him but knew it was a bad idea.

"Jeff I can't go with you. Mój serce, I love you. I truly do but I can't go with you." she told him, sobbing against his chest. She leaned back enough to look at his shocked expression and kissed him, long and deep. She explored his mouth with hers as best as she could, tears still streaming. He finally broke the kiss, looking at her, scared.

"Why Anna? Is it your parents? Is it me? I love you. Please just tell me." he begged, more confused than ever. _What the hell has gotten into her? _

"Jeff. I'm pregnant. That's why I can't travel with you. I'm pregnant." Anna answered him, curling herself into a ball. Jeff sat where he was for a long moment, stunned.

"Kurwa."


	3. Chapter 3

"Earth to Jeff, Earth to Jeff. Dude what the hell is going on here? You gotta get your head in the game man." Phil "CM Punk" Brooks reminded him as they made their way toward the rampway. Ilyriana had been left in his locker room so that he could talk to her afterwards and get to know the daughter he never knew he had.

"Dude if I tell you, you cannot flip out okay? Cause it's bad enough Beth and Matt are gonna want my guts for fuckin' garters man. We clear?" Jeff asked, knowing he had to tell someone. Punk was his best friend on the Smackdown roster aside from his brother. At 6'1'', Punk was the epitome of what every young straight edged girl wanted, even if he looked like he hadn't showered in a year some days. But his dark brown eyes always seemed full of laughter and filled with a light that never seemed to fade.

"Dude, who the fuck am I gonna tell? Besides, you got dirt on me so my fuckin' lips are cement man. No one needs to know that one." Punk answered, honestly concerned. It was no secret that Jeff had been to rehab and on and off drugs, and Punk didn't want it to be a relapse.

"I have a daughter. An eighteen year old daughter. Remember me telling you about the girl I had been with in high school who I loved and wanted for the rest of my life who left? She left me cause I had just signed here and she couldn't travel. She told me she'd take care of it and I always assumed she meant an abortion but in walks this little spitting image of her with my eyes. I feel horrid that I never thought about it again, that I never thought to call and check on her. She's here cause Annalyse died. I'm all she has left." Jeff spilled, feeling better now that he told someone. _I'm so fucking scared I'm going to hurt her more._

"Dude. That's some heavy ass shit. What are you gonna do? I mean why didn't she try to find you sooner? Have you asked her?" Punk asked, trying to help Jeff as best as he could. Punk was out of his depth on this one, he'd actually almost rather Jeff had been having a relapse cause then he'd have known what to do. Jeff shook his head, holding onto the questions until later.

* * *

After their match, Jeff and Punk walked back to his locker room together, talking the whole way. They were so intent on their conversation that they didn't see Matt walking toward them.

"Jeff! What the blue fuck is going on? I go into your locker room and there's a barely legal girl in there who is claiming that I'm her uncle. What in the hell have you been doing?" he screamed, pissed that his younger brother hadn't told him what was going on. Matt was Jeff's polar opposite, while the younger Hardy was tall, thin and colorful, he was tall, a little chunky and reserved. That was unless you hurt his younger brother or he was pissed. Which just so happened to be the problem now.

"Matt! Dude I was on my way to get her and bring her to you to tell you. I swear. Remember Annalyse? And how she was pregnant? She didn't get the abortion like we thought she did. She kept her. Anna died man. I'm all the poor kid has left and she wasn't told about me and I wasn't told about her. I just met her today for fuck's sake." Jeff stammered, watching his brother's ponytail bob angrily.

"Anna died? And that girl is yours? Dude what-"Matt began before breaking off mid sentence. Jeff just shook his head yes and put an arm across his brother's shoulder. Punk just stood there and watched the brothers help each other heal old wounds.

"She must be going stir crazy. Let's go get her and see what we can find out." Jeff told the two, as they all went off toward the locker room.


	4. Chapter 4

"Alright little one. You've already met Matt. This is Phil aka CM Punk. Phil, this is my daughter, Ilyriana. Everyone know each other? Good. I'm starving so you have to be and I'm sure the bottomless pit over there and your uncle are hungry too so lets get out of here and get some food." Jeff said, smiling at Ilyriana, noticing how much she looked like her mother and where his genes had won out. He held a hand out to her, hoping she'd take it, noticing the ring on her finger when she did. It caught his breath in his throat and tightened his chest.

"Where'd you get that ring?" he asked, controlling his emotions as much as he could. He had about all the emotional shocks he could handle for one day, but he hadn't been expecting to ever see that particular object again.

"Mom gave it to me. Said that it had meant a lot to her at one time and that it came from my dad. So I guess it came from you." Ilyriana answered, taking her hand from his to play with the ring. Jeff watched as she spun the ring on her finger. _Just like your mother used to do when she was upset or nervous._

* * *

A few weeks had passed since Annalyse had told Jeff she was pregnant. He seemed more determined than ever to protect her, while she seemed to be more fragile somehow. Even when she went to school, there were times she didn't make it through the entire day and Jeff would have to take her home.

"Anna, you okay to even go in today? I don't want you overexerting yourself." Jeff asked, concerned. It was two weeks before he was supposed to leave for training and he was getting nervous. He didn't like the thought of leaving her home, but knew that he may never get another chance at his dream. When she'd told him about the pregnancy, his initial reaction was shock but with time to comprehend what it would mean for the two of them, he was nervous and terrified. _I am too damned young to be a father. Here it is I get the opportunity of a lifetime and God decides that He's gonna screw with me some first._

"Jeff, I'm fine. I know that I haven't been the healthiest lately but the folic acid and the multivitamins they make me take for the baby make me nauseous if I don't eat with them. And I normally don't have time in the morning to eat." Anna answered him, patience wearing thin. She wanted to talk about the baby and what they were going to do about it, but every time she asked him to talk, he totally ignored the subject. _It'd be nice if he didn't ignore the problem we have that's growing inside me right this second. Please Jeff, I need you here with me now._

"Sorry you know I worry about you and the baby. And I'm leaving soon and I don't know what we're gonna do here about the baby. I mean what do you want to do? Did your parents tell you what they wanted you to do?" he answered, knowing he had been avoiding the subject for weeks. He knew he was going into training no matter what she told him, it just changed their relationship.

"My parents told me that I got myself into this mess so I can dig myself out of it however I see fit. What are you planning on doing? Are you still planning on training? When will you be back? What do you want me to do? How would you handle it if you were me?" Annalyse asked, tears forming behind her eyes.

"If I were you I'd have an abortion. But it's not me who has to carry the child or deliver or any of it. It's you. And yes I am still going to train and I'll be gone for a month at a time to start. Which yes I know is going to screw with school and football and us but I may never get another shot here. I love you Annalyse, I do. But I can't give my dreams up over this." Jeff answered as honestly as he could, knowing that his mind was made up and that she would either stand by him or go her own way. Annalyse sat for a full minute before she could even form a sentence in her head for her to speak. By that time they had pulled into the school parking lot and parked. Realizing this, she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.

"Jeff, I cannot believe you. You're a selfish, egotistical horrible person! No matter what's going on with me you're still going out on the road for that stupid wrestling bullshit! I'M PREGNANT JEFF! IT'S YOUR BABY! How in the hell can you even think about leaving when we don't know what we're doing or where we stand? No you know what I know where we stand. I'll fucking take care of it. Do what the fuck you want. Just whatever you do, go to hell!" she screamed, slamming the door to his car and stalking off toward the building before he could see how much it hurt her to say it or the tears running down her face. Jeff sat in his car, dumbfounded at the way she had exploded at him. He didn't think she could mean the things she had just said but then he saw it sitting on the seat: the ring he'd given her as a promise. A promise that he'd come back to her and only her. That when he had the money and they were older, they'd make it official and have a family.

* * *

"Yeah. I gave that ring to your mom a little while after she told me she was pregnant with you. It was a promise ring. I was leaving to train to come here and I wanted her to know that I was hers and hers alone. And that I wanted her for the rest of my life and that I wanted us to have a family. But she didn't like that I was still leaving so she left me. I tried to get her back, even gave her the ring back but she didn't talk to me again after the morning we broke up. That's why I never knew about you." Jeff answered Ilyriana, pulling himself out of his memory of the day he lost her mother forever. _If only I would have fought harder, I wouldn't be here. _He took Ilyriana's hand again, walking out of the building this time.

"Well I have you now and that's all that matters. I was just hoping you wouldn't slam the door in my face. I've tried a million times to get the courage to contact you over the past two weeks but I couldn't do it. Then when I heard you were gonna be here I had to come and meet you. Sorry if I fucked your life up." she answered him, absently swinging their joined arms as they walked toward his car where Phil and Matt were waiting. She was afraid that her showing up and being "doom and gloom" girl was going to cause him to go into a depression and start using again. She had grown up watching her father and uncle wrestle, unknowingly, and knew all about his drug issues. Jeff shook his head and smiled at Ilyriana, pulling her colse to him, kissing her head.

"You didn't fuck up my life. Not then and not now." he whispered against her hair, vowing to himself that he would do anything to make sure she was taken care of, safe and happy. It was the last thing he could do for her mother.

"Dude just so you know, Beth is meeting us at the restaurant, so you may want to be thinking about how you're going to tell her about Lyri." Matt told him, christening her with the nickname. Jeff just looked at Matt, shaking his head.

"Lets get in the car and get there before anyone chews their own leg off and I'll deal with it when we get there. If she can't deal then she can't deal. I am not abandoning Lyri again, intentionally or otherwise." Jeff told his brother, getting really sick of everyone making things harder on him. All he wanted was a stiff drink and sleep, but it didn't look like either of those was coming anytime soon.

"So where are we going to eat, Dad?" Ilyriana asked, trying to lighten the mood and make him smile. As much as she had wanted him to love her and wanted to know him her entire childhood, she didn't want him to lose anything because of her. Jeff just looked at her, and started laughing.

"Dad has a nice ring to it doesn't it? And I don't know daughter, probably our usual when we're in town. O'Tooles." he answered smiling ear to ear, content for the first time in a very long time.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, Lyri. Wake up sweetheart, we're at the restaurant." Matt called quietly, shaking her arm. She didn't move or even seem to respond to him. He tried again, thinking that she just hadn't heard him, this time being louder. Ilyriana still didn't move. Jeff and Phil had already started toward the restaurant without the.

"Jeff! There's something wrong with Ilyriana!" Matt called, being loud enough to be heard across the parking lot. He didn't turn around, but Phil heard him. He looked at Matt, motioning for an explanation. Matt yelled again, this time Jeff hearing him. He ran back to the car, scared that he was going lose her.

"What the hell? Lyri? Lyri? ILYRIANA!!" Jeff frantically called. She still didn't get up. The other two men looked at each other, and suggested to him to make sure she was breathing. Jeff found a pulse and tried to wake her up again. He shook her arm and in doing this, he saw her bracelet. _Shit,_ he thought_ she's hypoglycemic._

"Guys we have to get her to the hospital. She's hypoglycemic and in sugar shock." he called, throwing himself in the backseat with her as Phil and Matt climbed in the car.  
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The three men sat in the waiting room of the hospital in total silence, each one left to his own thoughts. Matt had called Beth to let her know that they had to rush to the hospital and to meet them there, not telling her more than that. Jeff hadn't wanted to leave Ilyriana's side, scared he'd never see her open her eyes again and he'd lose her like he'd lost her mother. Phil sat on his other side, hoping that she'd be fine and showing his support for Jeff. Matt was just worried about Jeff and Ilyriana both. They had so much to learn about each other and a lot of it was going to be very important. Things like this and if she had any other problems.

"Matt! What the hell? What's going on, who's hurt?" Beth rushed as she ran through the waiting room. She stopped a few feet in front of him when she noticed Jeff sitting in the seat next to him, eyeing him suspiciously. Matt stood immediately and lead her away from his younger brother who hadn't even noticed his girlfriend's arrival. He was too focused on hearing Ilyriana's name called so he could be updated on her condition.

"First thing, promise me you won't get mad at him Beth. He didn't know." Matt made her promise. Beth shook her head okay and waited for Matt to continue.

"Remember Annalyse? His ex from high school? She had a child. It's Jeff's daughter. She's why we're here, she's very sick cause he didn't know she was hypoglycemic and she didn't eat enough. Whatever you do don't yell at him. Ilyriana was kept from him until Annalyse died." Matt informed her, worried about her reaction. He tried to grab her arm but she deftly moved out of his reach, striding toward Jeff, the man she loved and thought she knew inside and out. _He lied to me. He told me that she had an abortion and he didn't have a kid._

"Jeff! What the hell is this I'm hearing? You're a dad? I thought she had an abortion! How in the hell could you hide this from me?!" Beth screeched, pissed. When he didn't answer her right away, she slapped him and he jumped as if shocked.

"Beth? What? Why?" he stammered, empty of all emotion. They had been in the hospital for five hours by that time and he was terrified. Beth's appearance hadn't even processed and to him it didn't matter.

"Your daughter Jeff. Why'd you keep her from me? What the fuck were you thinking? Hope it was worth it cause I'm done. You don't tell me about the other woman and then the second rehab trip. You expect me to fucking take everything with a smile and to be the perfect trophy girlfriend while you fuck around and almost kill yourself time and time again. Well I'm not doing it anymore. Fuck you Hardy." Beth informed him, turning on her heel and walking away from him. Jeff stood where he was, shell shocked. _First I learn I have a daughter and could possibly lose her then Beth walks away. This is fucking great. Where is a needle when you need one?_ he found himself pondering. Phil walked up to him, wanting to make it better.

"Dude, she never deserved you. Never. You always tried to do good by her and this is how she treats you? Not cool. When you need her the most she ran away. Ilyriana needs you. Don't turn your back on that man. And you know you have me and Matt and everyone else man. We all love you." Phil told him, putting an arm around his shoulder. Jeff felt the first hot tears roll down his face as Phil pulled the smaller man to him as his body shook. Jeff cried at the loss of Annalyse, who he'd never gotten over, the loss of Beth, who never replaced Annalyse like he thought she would and at the potential loss of Ilyriana, the daughter he had just found. He'd been crying for a few minutes when a hand on his shoulder turned him around. The faint makeup he'd been wearing for the show had run down his face some and he looked miserable when he turned around to face the doctor.

"Mr. Hardy? We have someone who wants to see you." the doctor told him, smile on his face. Jeff's eyes lit up when he processed what he had been told. The doctor led him to Ilyriana's room, informing him of the proper care for the young girl. Jeff nodded vehemently, noting that he was going to make sure she stayed on schedule with her meals and that he started carrying snacks with him, if she wanted to travel with him. The doctor smiled and opened the door to Ilyriana's room and let Jeff in.

"Hey Dad." she said, sheepishly. Seeing her eyes open and hearing her voice made Jeff feel a hundred times better than he had moments before. He moved to her bedside and found a way to hug her without detaching any of her cords, then sat down in the chair next to her bed.

"Boy am I glad to see you awake. I thought I was going to lose you for good. Why didn't you tell me you were hypoglycemic before I went to wrestle? I could have had Matt get you something to eat hunny." he scolded her gently, feeling that yelling at her would make her shut down like he and her mother used to when they fought.

"I was going to tell you but I got so excited at you not slamming the door on me that I forgot and I usually carry food in my bag but apparently I ate it already. Sorry Dad." she admitted, casting her eyes downward, feeling like a failure. Jeff shook his head and leaned in as he took her hands in both of his. He told her that it was all fine and she should get some rest. He kissed her forehead before walking out of the room. She turned on her side and closed her eyes.

"Kocham cię, mój księżniczka. Sleep well Lyri." he whispered over his shoulder, taking one last look at his little girl before walking out into the waiting room.  
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	6. Chapter 6

_Three Weeks Later_

Ilyriana had decided to follow Jeff on the most recent bout of shows he was doing as a part of Smackdown!. She'd been having fun, getting to know her dad's friends and her dad but missed people her own age. Jeff was loving spending time with his daughter but realized she needed people close to her age. He went to Phil to get his advice.

"Hey man, you got a sec? It's about Lyri." Jeff asked, knowing that Phil was unnaturally good with kids and had become closer to Jeff since Ilyriana walked into his life. He nodded that he could help after his match and walked off. _Ok, so she's bored. Let's see if we can find someone for her to talk to that's around her age and not a total douche._ Jeff was so hard in thought that he never noticed Ilyriana walking out of his locker room, cell phone clutched to her chest.

* * *

"Okay, we don't have long, I saw Dad talking to Punk and I can bet I know what it's about. When'd you get here? Aren't you guys supposed to be on your way to your next stop?" Ilyriana asked the man standing before her. He was 6 foot 3 inches tall, lean and tan with grey eyes. He turned around at the sound of her voice and picked her up, spinning her around.

"Well then princess let's go." he answered her, southern drawl coming out more than anyone else got to hear. Ilyriana grabbed his hand and followed him to an empty room, not noticing her uncle walking by, gearing up for his match. _Son of a bitch, what is he doing here? And what is he doing with Lyri? _he thought, mind racing as he ran to find Jeff.

* * *

Phil was walking toward Jeff when Matt ran toward him, yelling. Jeff didn't know who to answer first so he decided to make the two of them decide.

"Phil can this wait a few? It's about Lyri and it's kind of important." Matt asked, knowing he had a match soon and knowing Jeff needed to know what was going on sooner rather than later. Phil sensed it was something big and told the older Hardy to go ahead while he stood to the side and waited. Matt shook his head in thanks and continued.

"Jeff, Lyri isn't in your locker room. She's running around with DiBiase. I saw her run up to him and he took her off somewhere. Man I swear to you I am not fucking around here. I saw her walk off with him about five minutes ago, holding his hand." Matt rushed, out of breath. Jeff's eyes narrowed to slits when he saw the young superstar emerge from the room he had just been in, disheveled.

"DiBiase! What the fuck are you doing here for one, and for two what the fuck are you doing with my daughter? You know she's almost ten years younger than you? What's wrong can't get any your own age cause you beat your ex so you gotta prey on the college bound ones? Huh?" Jeff yelled as he rushed the younger man, throwing a shoulder into him. Ilyriana was exiting the same room that when she noticed her father and her boyfriend fighting on the floor as her uncle and her father's best friend trying to pull him off. She had a better idea.

"Dad! What are you doing?! Get off of him!" she screeched, knowing that if she sounded distraught enough he'd let go. Jeff turned and looked at her, eyes dark with anger. He pointed one finger in the direction of his dressing room before speaking.

"Get out of my sights. Go sit in the dressing room where I told you to stay earlier. We'll talk in a couple." he warned her, voice holding the heat of boiling anger. She looked at him then Ted and walked away, worried she had screwed something major up with her father. _Great, I finally find him and now because I let hormones get in the way I may lose him. Just like he lost mom._ Jeff returned his attention to Ted, sure his point had gotten across.

"Stay away from her. Stay the fuck away from her. Or I'll make your life miserable do you hear me?" he told the younger man, helping him to his feet before going off to find his daughter.


	7. Chapter 7

Ilyriana was pacing in her father's dressing room, terrified at what he was going to say to her. _Mom_ she thought _how did I screw this up? You told me that he'd accept me and he did but oh God I fucked up this time, please don't let him throw me out. I have no one else to run to except a handful of his friends here. _Tears had begun streaming down her face while she contemplated her next move when her father threw her out. So wrapped up in her own thoughts, she didn't even hear the door open. Once it slammed shut, she jumped, giving a startled "oh!" of surprise.

"Dad I-" she began apologizing immediately before the look in his eyes shut her mouth. She stayed quiet and sat down.

"Look, I understand you're a teenager and hormones are running amok but Lyri I asked you to stay here for a reason. I don't want to lose you and I don't want to see you make my mistakes. And I don't want you near Ted DiBiase again. He's a wife beater and almost ten years older than you. Didn't you wonder why his wife left him? They'd been together since high school until he got shitfaced one night and beat her. Bad. She and Beth went to high school together, that's how I knew how bad she looked. Date anyone else closer to your age around here you want cause your uncle, Phil and I can make sure you're respected but please, for your sake and his, stay away from DiBiase." Jeff explained to her, calming down as his speech went on. He'd stood in the hallway in front of his door for five minutes before he decided to go in to talk to her. Phil had told him that yes she needed structure to her life at her age and that having her stay home so she could go to school and be with people her own age would probably benefit her in the long run. Jeff had decided to hear him out and offer it to her if she wanted it, hell he was taking a break soon so he could get his shit together and work on his other passions.

"Wait, you're not mad enough to put me out? But I was sure that you were going to throw me out for this." Ilyriana responded, flabbergasted. Jeff just smiled and wrapped his daughter in a hug.

"No moj bajki. I'm not putting you out, why would I do that? I remember what it was like to be a teenager. But I do have a question for you. Would you like to just stay home? I mean so you can get to know the people you're going to be living around and going to school with. And you wont be at the house by yourself for too long cause I'm due time off in a couple of weeks. So what do you think?" he asked, laughing that she had thought he'd put her out.

"I think it might be a good idea for me to go home. And besides, who else is gonna take care of the puppy?" Ilyriana replied, puzzling Jeff.

"What puppy?"


End file.
